Permanent set inflatable element

ABSTRACT

A permanently set inflatable element is adapted to be supported on tubular support means and is provided with valve means for conducting fluid from the interior to the exterior of the tubular means and into the inflatable element for inflation and permanent deformation thereof.

United States Patent Inventor Billy C. Malone Houston, Tex.

Appl. No. 16,640

Filed Mar. 5, 1970 Patented June 1, 1971 Assignee Lynes, Inc.

Houston, Tex.

PERMANENT SET INFLATABLE ELEMENT 13 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl

Int. Cl

Field of Search 166/187 E21b33/l2 166/187, 120, 207, 315', 277/1 16.2

Primary Examiner lames A. Leppink Attorneys.1ack W, Hayden and RichardE. Bee

ABSTRACT: A permanently set inflatable element is adapted to besupported on tubular support means and is provided with valve means forconducting fluid from the interior to the exterior of the tubular meansand into the inflatable element for inflation and permanent deformationthereof.

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JTTORNE YS PERMANENT SET INFLATABLE ELEMENT Cross Reference to RelatedApplication This present invention relates to a specific form of myinvention shown and described in application Ser. No. 790,367, filedJan. 10, 1969 for Inflatable, Permanently Set, Drillable Element, nowPat. No. 3,529,667.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,437,142 issued toGeorge E. Conover discloses an inflatable element carried on a tubularsupport member, but the construction there disclosed is not permanentlydeformable. In some situations, it is desirable to provide an inflatableelement that is constructed so as to be permanently deformable in anopening upon inflation thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the present invention relates to aninflatable permanently deformable element which is adapted to besupported or carried on a tubular member or means. In some instances,the tubular means extends completely through the inflatable'element ,asa single piece support, and in other instances, the tubular member isconnected at one end to the inflatable element and extends therethroughwith the other end slidable thereon.

ln other forms of the present invention, both ends of the permanentlydeformable inflatable element are fixed on the tubular support means andthe element inflates and deforms when fluid'is supplied through a valvemeans from the interior to the exterior of the tubular support means andinto the inflatable deformable element.

Also, the tubular means may be one, or a plurality, of tubular means.

The inflatable element of the present invention is constructed so thatit can be drilled, milled, or cut by tools designed for the purpose.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a quarter longitudinalsectional view showing a form of the present invention positioned in anopening on a tubular means and in inflated position;

FIG. 2 illustrates an inflatable element constructed as indicated inFIG. 1 of the drawings and showing an alternate form of valve means forinflation of the deformable element;

FIG. 2A is an enlarged sectional view of the fomi of valve means circledat 2A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 illustrates the inflatable deformable element of the presentinvention secured to a tubular means which extends completely throughthe element and an alternate form of valve means;

FIG. 3A is a detailed sectional view of the form of valve means shown at3A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a quarter sectional view illustrating the inflatabledeformable element of the present invention with the tubular meansextending completely through the element and both ends of the elementsecured thereto;

FIG. 5 illustrates an inflatable element similar in construction to thatshown in the other forms of the drawings except that it is adapted toreceive a plurality of tubular members or means therethrough; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view partly in elevation of the inflatabledeformable element of the present invention to more clearly illustratethe structural details thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Attention is firstdirected to FIG. 6 of the drawings wherein the deformable inflatableelement of the present invention is referred to generally by thenumeral-20. The tubular means upon which the element is adapted to bereceived is shown at 21 as being threadedly secured at 22 to an annularend member 23. The tubular support means 24 is threadedly secured asshown at 25 to the annular end member 23, and an annular end member 27is spaced relative to the annular end member 23 and is adapted to slidealong the tubular support means 24 as the inflatable deformable elementis expanded.

It will be noted that the spaced annular end members 23 and 27 includeportions 30 having a tapered extension 31 extending beneath the outercovering 33 which portion 31 also bells or deforms permanently uponinflation of the element. The element 20 includes in addition to theouter covering 33 and the spaced annular end members 23 and 27, areinforcing sheath referred to generally by the numeral 35 whichincludes a plurality of metal strips 38 which overlap each othercircumferentially and extend longitudinally between each of the annularend members 23 and 27. The manner of connecting the reinforcing sheath35 comprising the metal strips 38 to each of the annular end members 23and 27 is identical, and by reference to the upper portion of FIG. 6, itcan be seen that a retaining ring 39 abuts the ends of the metal strips38 against and within the portion 30 of the annular end member 23. Aweld 40 engages or connects the ends of the metal strips to each otherand to the annular end members 23 and 27 as well as to the retaining oranchor ring 39. The circumferentially overlapping, longitudinallyextending metal strips 38 surround an inner tube 42 both in deflated, aswell as in expanded and deformed positions. The extent of the overlap ofthe strip can be arranged when building the reinforcing inflatableelement to accomplish such result. The inner tube 42 is sealinglysecured within each annular end member by means of the ring 45 abuttingthe end of the tube 42 against the portion 30 of the spaced annularheads 23 and 27. It can be appreciated that any suitable means, otherthan the ring 45, may be employed for anchoring the ends of the innertube 42 within each of the annular end members 23 and 27.

The tube 42 may be formed of any easily yieldable material oflow yieldstrength such as lead or may be formed of resilient or semiresilientmaterial such as Teflon or suitable elastomeric material which yieldswhen internal pressure is applied thereto. The tube 42 as well as thereinforcing sheath 35 and outer covering 33 are preferably formed ofmaterial that can be cut or milled by milling or cutting tools ofconventional type presently employed for such purpose.

A valving arrangement 50 may be employed in one of the spaced annularend members 23 or 27 for conducting fluid from the interior of thetubular support means to the exterior thereof and to the interior of thetube 42 which surrounds the tubular support means 24-.in the form of theinvention shown in FIG. 6 for inflation and deformation of the permanentset element 20. An opening or passage 51 provided in the annular endmember communicates with the check valve 23a and thereafter through thecheck valve 23b past back pressure valve 23c in passage 23d. The springtension in the check valves 23a and 23b must be overcome before fluid isconducted to the back pressure valve 23c and through passage 23d intotube 42. The back pressure valve 230 serves to block the inflating anddeforming fluid or liquid from entering the deformable element 20 untila predetermined pressure is reached. The check valves retain the fluidor liquid within the deformed element.

The construction and arrangement of the valving arrangement 50 shown inFIG. 6 is described and claimed in US. Letters Pat. No. 3,437,142.

In reference to FIG. I, the valving arrangement is again referred to by'the numeral 50, and corresponding parts described in FIG. 6 bearcorresponding numbers. It can be appreciated that suitable passage means23d communicate not only the valve means 23a, 23b, and 23c, but also theend of the passage means 23d communicates with the exterior of thetubing member 24 and within the tube 42 for conducting inflating fluidfrom the opening 51 which communicates with the interior of the tubularsupport means as shown.

It can be seen from FIG. 1 of the drawings that the portion 30 of theannular end members 23 and 27 having the tapered portion 31 thereon ispermanently deformed when the element is inflated and seated within theopening and against the walls of the opening as represented at 55. Itcan be appreciated, of course, that suitable seal means 60 between theannular end member 27 and tubular support member 24 inhibit leakage offluid therefrom and enable the annular end member 27 to slide along thetubular support 24 as the permanently deformable element is deformedwithout the loss of liquid. In FIG. I, the element is shown in its fullyinflated and deformed position, in which condition the reinforcingsheath 35 assumes a permanent deformation. Depending upon the materialthat tube 42 is made of, it may or may not take on a permanentdeformation.

In FIG. 2, the permanently deformable and permanently set element issecured to the spaced annular end members 23 and 27 in a manner aspreviously described. Similarly, tubular support means 21 is threadedlysecured at 22 to the annular end member 23 and tubular support means issecured by threads 25 to the end member 23 and extends through thedeformable element 20. As the deformable element 20 is inflated, theseal means 60 inhibits leakage of fluid from around the annular endmember 27 and accommodates movement of the annular end member 27 alongthe tubular support means 24 without leakage offluids.

An alternate form of valve arrangement is referred to generally at 50ain FIG. 2, the details of which are shown in FIG. 2A. It will be notedthat an opening 70 is formed in the walls of the tubular support memberor means 24 and an annular recess 71 formed in the outer wall of thetubular support means 24 on each side of the opening 70. If desired, therecess 71 may be in the form of a longitudinally extending slot andwithin the recess 71 there is provided a spring finger 72 which issecured at one end 73 by suitable means such as a weld 74 or the like tothe exterior of the tubular means 24. Secured to the finger 72 bysuitable means such as welding or the like is a suitable projection 80for fitting within the opening 70 and surrounding the projection 80adjacent the finger 72 is a resilient seal means 81 for abutting againstthe wall of the opening and closing it off when the deformable element20 is in nonexpanded position.

When it is desired to inflate the deformable permanent set element 20,inflating fluid or liquid is conducted through the tubular means 21 and24 and when the pressure thereof overcomes the resiliency of the springfinger 72 as well as the force of the tube 40 and surrounding sheath andouter covering 33, inflating liquid will be supplied to the exterior ofthe tubular means 24 for deformation of the element 20. When the element20 is expanded, the valve 50a reseats and forms a check valve to retainthe liquid within the element.

In FIG. 3, the tubular support means 21 is shown as extending completelythrough the permanent set deformable element 20. Its construction issimilar to that previously described and includes the spaced annular endmembers 23 and 27 with the outer covering 33, reinforcing sheath 35, andinner tube 42 extending between and connected with the annular spacedend members 23 and 27. In this form of the invention, the annular endmember 23 is secured to the tubular support means 21 by suitable meanssuch as welding 220, and the other end member 27 is slidably supportedon the tubular support means and is provided with seal means between thetubular support means outer surface and the end member 27 for inhibitingleakage from the deformable element 20 as it is expanded and deformed.An alternate form of valving arrangement is shown at 50b and againincludes an opening 70 in the wall of the tubular support means 21. Therecess 71 extends around the tubular support means 2I and within therecess an annular band of resilient material 85 is provided. It will benoted that the tubular support means 21 includes an annular projection21a spaced from but adjacent the opening 70 to one side thereof. Thisserves to retain the annular resilient sleeve in the manner as shown inFIG. 3A, and such resilient sleeve 85 will normally be retained inposition to close off the opening 70 by reason of the surrounding tube42, reinforcing sheath 35, and outer covering 33 as well as its naturalresiliency when the inflatable element 20 is deflated.

When the pressure of the inflating liquid or fluid within the tubularmember 21 is sufficient to overcome the closing action of the sleeve 85,the upper end of the sleeve will be moved off the annular projection 21aso that inflating liquid may be passed to the exterior of the tubularsupport means 21 and within the tube 42 for deformation of the elementincluding the reinforcing sheath 35. After the element 20 is inflated toits desired extent, the natural resiliency of 85 will reseat it onprojection 21a; aided by the inflation medium, it will then function asa check valve to retain the element 20 expanded.

In FIG. 4, the construction of the invention is similar to thatpreviously described including the annular end members 23 and 27, theouter covering 33, the reinforcing sheath 35, and the inner tube 42extending between the spaced annular end members 23 and 27. In this formof the invention, the end members 23 and 27 are each secured by suitablemeans such as welding as shown at 220 to the tubular support means 21which extends therethrough. The valve arrangement for conducting fluidfrom within the tubular support means 21 is similar to that described at50 with regard to FIG. 6. Even though both end members 23 and 27 aresecured to the tubu' lar support means 21, when fluid is conductedthrough the passage means 51 and 23d, the deformable element 20 willdeform and take a permanent set.

In FIG. 5, the permanent set deformable element is shown as includingspaced annular end members 23 and 27. In this arrangement, the spacedannular end members 23 and 27 are constructed and arranged so as toreceive a plurality of tubular support means referred to generally bythe numeral 90. The annular end member 23 includes a valve arrangementreferred to generally at 50 as described in FIG. 6 so that when fluid isconducted through the passage 51 and 23d, inflation and deformation ofthe element is accomplished. It will be noted that the central portionof the deformable element is cut away since it is believed that anadditional showing thereof is unnecessary as it is identical to thatpreviously described.

In this form ofthe invention, the annular end member 27 includes twoportions 27a and 27b. The portion 27b is secured to the plurality oftubular support members 90, which as shown in FIG. 5 includes threemembers represented at a, 90b, and 90c. An undercut portion 27c isprovided on the portion 27b to form a seating surface for the portion27a so that as the deformable element 20 is expanded and inflated,relative longitudinal movement between the portions 270 and 2717 mayoccur.

In the FIG. 5 form of the invention, it can be appreciated that sucharrangement may be used, such as, by way of example only, in multiplecompletion of oil wells, or in any situation where it may be desirableto provide a plurality of conduits through, but connected with, thedefonnable element 20.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention areillustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size,shape, and materials as well as in the details of the illustratedconstruction may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What I claim is:

l. A permanent set inflatable element for positioning on tubular meansfor use in a well bore comprising:

a. spaced annular end members for sealably mounting on the tubularmeans;

b. an expansible, permanently deformable reinforcing sheath includingexpansible, permanently deformable, overlapping metal strips extendinglongitudinally of the element with the ends of the strips received insaid annular end member;

. valve means for conducting fluid from the tubular means to said sheathbetween the tubular means and said sheath for inflation and deformationof said expansible, permanently deformable metal strips; and

d. anchor means for said sheath including means to secure said metalstrips adjacent their ends to said end members.

2. The invention of claim I wherein said securing means comprises a weldwhich connects said sheath with said annular end members.

3. The invention of claim I wherein said valve means is mounted inpassage means formed in one of said annular end members and whichpassage means communicates at one end interiorly of the annular endmember in which it is formed and the other end of the passagecommunicates between the tubular means and said sheath.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said valve means includes an openingformed in the tubular means between said annular end members and meansclosing off said opening which is responsive to pressure to communicatethe interior of the tubular means with the exterior thereof and withinsaid sheath for deformation thereof.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said means closing off said openingincludes leaf spring means pivotally secured to the tubular means withan enlargement thereon for fitting within said opening in the tubularmeans and a resilient sealing member carried by said enlargement forsealing off the openmg.

6. The invention of claim 4 wherein said means closing off said openingincludes an annular resilient sleeve on the tubular means within arecess, the tubular means having a projection on one side of saidopening against which said sleeve rests.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein at least one of said annular endmembers is secured to the tubular means.

8. The invention of claim I wherein one of said annular end members issecured to the tubular means and the other of said end members ismovable relative thereto.

9. The invention of claim 1 wherein the tubular means in cludes at leasttwo longitudinally extending members, and wherein one of said annularend members is secured to said tubular means and the other end member isdivided into two portions, one of which portions is secured to saidtubular means and provides a seating surface for the other portion,which is secured to said sheath, to slide along when the sheath isexpanded.

10. The invention of claim 1 wherein the tubular means is threadedlysecured to one of said annular end members and extends longitudinallythrough the other annular end member.

11. The invention of claim 1 wherein the tubular means extends througheach of said spaced annular end members and is secured thereto.

12. The invention of claim 1 including an expansible inner tubesurrounded by said sheath and extending between and sealingly engagedwith said annular end members.

13. The invention of claim 1 wherein said end members include portionswhich are permanently deformable as the element is inflated.

1. A permanent set inflatable element for positioning on tubular meansfor use in a well bore comprising: a. spaced annular end members forsealably mounting on the tubular means; b. an expansible, permanentlydeformable reinforcing sheath including expansible, permanentlydeformable, overlapping metal strips extending longitudinally of theelement with the ends of the strips received in said annular end member;c. valve means for conducting fluid from the tubular means to saidsheath between the tubular means and said sheath for inflation anddeformation of said expansible, permanently deformable metal strips; andd. anchor means for said sheath including means to secure said metalstrips adjacent their ends to said end members.
 2. The invention ofclaim 1 wherein said securing means comprises a weld which connects saidsheath with said annular end members.
 3. The invention of claim 1wherein said valve means is mounted in passage means formed in one ofsaid annular end members and which passage means communicates at one endinteriorly of the annular end member in which it is formed and the otherend of the passage communicates between the tubular means and saidsheath.
 4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said valve means includes anopening formed in the tubular means between said annular end members andmeans closing off said opening which is responsive to pressure tocommunicate the interior of the tubular means with the exterior thereofand within said sheath for deformation thereof.
 5. The invention ofclaim 4 wherein said means closing off said opening includes leaf springmeans pivotally secured to the tubular means with an enlargement thereonfor fitting within said opening in the tubular means and a resilientsealing member carried by said enlargement for sealing off the opening.6. The invention of claim 4 wherein said means closing off said openingincludes an annular resilient sleeve on the tubular means within arecess, the tubular means having a projection on one side of saidopening against which said sleeve rests.
 7. The invention of claim 1wherein at least one of said annular end members is secured to thetubular means.
 8. The invention of claim 1 wherein one of said annularend members is secured to the tubular means and the other of said endmembers is movable relative thereto.
 9. The invention of claim 1 whereinthe tubular means includes at least two longitudinally extendingmembers, and wherein one of said annular end members is secured to saidtubular means and the other end member is divided into two portions, oneof which portions is secured to said tubular means and provides aseating surface for the other portion, which is secured to said sheath,to slide along when the sheath is expanded.
 10. The invention of claim 1wherein the tubular means is threadedly secured to one of said annularend members and extends longitudinally through the other annular endmember.
 11. The invention of claim 1 wherein the tubular means extendsthrough each of said spaced annular end members and is secured thereto.12. The invention of claim 1 including an expansible inner tubesurrounded by said sheath and extending between and sealingly engagedwith said annular end members.
 13. The invention of claim 1 wherein saidend members include portions which are permanently deformable as theelement is inflated.